Just do it

Let's just say this race was a very unpleasant experience.  I honestly had the desire to cry for a good portion of it.  Two factors played into this.  Firstly, it was about 75 degrees when we started.  Not too bad but all of our training has been in the early morning at about temps of 45 degrees so this was a big change.  Along with that I went out fast.  My first lap split was 74 and my first mile was 4:58.  Let's just say I died.  

 There were about 5 who dropped out of the race.  I actually saw two of them stop and it made it much harder.  I knew that it would be so easy to just stop and the pain would go away.  I had to finish though.  I pushed through and finished.  Very disappointed in my time but we all have bad days.  I did my best and that's all that matters.

B.B. came to watch too :-)  Thanks babe! 

Just ran down to Temple Square and back up South Temple.  Legs were a bit sore but it was a good run with an AP of 7:28.

Went to Highland HS and did 3x1000 at a 5:20 pace.  We measured the splits at the 800.  I came in a 2:41, 2:40, and 2:37.  We then did 3x 500, 300, 200.  I was hitting the 400 split of the 500 at 72.  I hit the 300 at 54 and the 200 at about 33.  It was a pretty good day.  My legs are pretty tight and tired these days.

Yeah 7 miles...

5x800 today at Highland.  Splits went 2:38, 3X2:35, and 2:34.  Good run.

50 mins of elliptical today.  I would have done some mileage but I am no longer racing in the track meet tomorrow.  I will be running a 5k on Saturday.  It's the Run Like Health 5k at the U.  Should be funzies... I get to race with BB!

Normal pre-race run.

You'll notice the distance on this "5k"  The course was short unfortunately.  It was actually a pretty funny race.  There were a group of about 10 people running the whole thing.  The race started between two "cinder blocks" that were about 6 feet about.  It was okay though because there were about 20 people racing.  My team pretty much made up a majority.

We did okay for the first bit.  The person posted at one point was just sitting there when we ran up so we didn't really no where to go.  100 South was a beast monster hill.  After that we got lost.  The guy right in front me said, "Any ideas?"  I remembered we were supposed to go up toward the engineering building so we did that.  We then went off the wrong way a bit after that had to drop back down.

 After that the course was pretty fun.  Nice downhill down south campus drive.  The course told us to turn left when we should of gone straight.  For this reason, we came across the finish at 2.71 miles.  I actually didn't even try because I knew there was no way it was the end.  I had a lot left in me and felt like I really hadn't raced.  Oh well... It was a good experience. 

After the race, I gleefully showed my time (on my watch) to a hot babe that raced with me as well as my teammates and coach.  I made sure to cover up the distance portion ;)  That hot babe beat all the girls on my team... Nice.

Workout this morning.  We did 1x1000 at a 2:35 800 pace, 2x800 (same pace), and 5x400 at a 72 pace.  It was an easier workout but the air seemed much thinner for some reason.  It was kind of crazy.

Legs felt pretty awesome today so I upped the pace a bit.  Finished at an AP of 6:40 and I was feeling great.  Good run.

 Did some P90 X afterward for core. 

Highland again.  5x400, 5x300

40 mins of elliptical in the morning... BORING!  We then had a warrior run at Sugar House park in the afternoon.  If you happened to see about 60 cadets running at about 4:00 and then eating burgers, that was us.  We were at about a 9 min pace.  Warrior runs are pretty slow.

Jef and I did 2 laps around Sugar House for our nice pre-race run.

It was raining all morning and I had hope that we would be running in overcast.  We didn't get overcast but at least it wasn't super hot.  There was a bit of wind but it was all good.  This was a difficult race because we were the only NAIA school there.  There were some fast runners.  Going out at a 78 split already puts you in the back.  I was actually in last place for the first 5-6 laps.  I worked hard to keep my splits at 78 or under but it became very difficult.  I ended up catching up to the guy in front me and chilled behind him for almost a lap. That probably wasn't the best idea considering he was going slower than what i wanted.  At least I wasn't last place at this point.

The bottom line is that track racing is very difficult to me.  Especially with the 5k distance... It is all a mental game.  As you run around the track you are constantly reminded of how much you have left and how fast you are going.  As you come around the first 200 meters you see the number 12 telling you that you have 12 laps of torture ahead.  Then after another 200 meters you have your coach yelling out your splits. It is almost as if you have two checkpoints per lap and it kinda makes you go crazy.  You cross there and he yells 78 and you think, "Ok, I just need to hold this pace.  I can do that."  Then it becomes extremely frustrating when he calls out 80 and you felt as though you had only sped up.  At that point you come around the turn to see 6 laps left to go and it takes everything you have to not stop.  Then you see 5, then 4.  You think, "One mile left!"  You try to motivate yourself with the distance you have left and thinking of the workouts you have done but sometimes it just doesn't work.  You think, "I could just stop right now and all the pain would go away."  You don't though... Runners can't stop.  It's a pride issue I guess.  Perhaps it's just the ability to delay gratification for something better (finishing the race)  Runners finish so it's not really an option unless your injured.  But that thought does cross your mind.  Then you see 2 then 1 and you try to speed up for fear that that guy behind is going to catch you.  So much pain.  The finish is a great feeling but the time can be frustrating.  I am not a big fan of track racing.  It's been a fun experience but I would prefer road races.  Figured I would share my thoughts on what Kara Goucher calls the "Oval of Torture." 

Someone special came all the way from Salt Lake (This meet was in Logan) to see me race.  It meant a lot :) 

Speed work today.  We are tapering for the last meet of the season.  This will be my last college meet ever actually.  It will be bitter sweet.  We did 3x1000.  My splits at the 800 were 2:35x2 and 2:34.  It actually felt pretty good.

On 13th, up Sunnyside and back to Schoooooooo!

5x500 meters!  Woop.  Hit the 400 at 72.

QFR today.  Didn't want to run the 7:40 time for the 1.5 miler due to the meet this week.  Ran a 9:07 and felt fine.  Hit the mile at 5:59 and figured I would be on pace but oh well.

I ran it again pacing my friend.  We ran it at about a 6:45 pace so that was fun.  I really enjoy pacing.  I had run about a mile to the field house and about 2 miles back to my car. 

Ran out and back on 13th bright and early.  Racing the mile tomorrow at BYU.  Should be funskies :)

This race was quite an experience that I won't soon forget.  I am able to laugh about it now but it was quite frustrating during the race.  On Thursday my coach had sent me the field for the mile.  When I looked at the entered times I saw that there were a few that were around the 4:40 range. So I am thinkin, "Yeah!  This will be a good PR race for me!"  My PR was 4:44 in indoor track.  

So come race day I am all excited to go run just a mile.  Not 3.1 miles but just 1!  I can do that!  My coach talked to me right before and said, "Okay David... The key to this race is patience. Don't worry if you are a bit toward the back in the beginning.  Be patient and then start making your move."  I was like, "Yeah! YEAH!"  Haha... So they came up and called out our names to give us our numbers.  There were 15 of us and I got number 12.  Sweet!  That means I shouldn't be in the back based on entry times!  This was all well and good but something just didn't feel right.  The guys I was racing with did not look like 4:40ers... They looked like BYU mutant robots that they keep in the storage shed there.  My last big hint was the guy at the starting line saying, "Ok!  This is Collin!  He'll be your pacer for the race.  He'll come across the 800 at 2:02."  Yeah... I should have raised a question there but I didn't.

Anyways, the race starts and in the first  50 meters I thought, "Okay well I am used to racing the 5000 so that's probably why this feels a bit fast."  Then as they kept pulling away within the first 100 meters I knew something was wrong.  Someone had made a mistake.  I came across the 400 at 64 and I was already hurting.  Didn't help that I was still about 5 seconds behind everyone else.  I could tell that had killed me when I crossed 800 at 2:16.  The pack was way ahead now.  I had to give it everything that I had to just try and maintain somewhat of a pace and keep my dignity (although with this race it had gone out the window).  Came to the last lap and I picked it up just a bit with what little energy I had.  My arms were numb... Actually my whole body had become pretty much numb at this point.  The whole pack pretty much finished and I had 200 meters left.  I tell you... It's a humbling experience to run that home stretch giving everything you have knowing that you are about 30 seconds behind everyone else.  I came across with a PR of 4:42 but I was dead.

I crossed and felt sick.  My head hurt and I couldn't walk.  I pretty much collapsed on the ground for a bit.  As I sat there they started the 2nd heat.  I watched as they finished... 4:30, 4:35, 4:40... and so on.  Frustration swelled inside.  That's the heat I should have been on.  I shouldn't have felt like this.  I knew I ran the race horribly.  I should have gone out at about a 69 for the first lap but the heat situation just threw me for a loop.  Coach didn't know what had happened.  I tried to walk over to my fans (Coach, one teammate, and Bec) but I felt like I was going to throw up and pass out so I went to the grass and collapsed on my back.  A little fairy came and comforted me while I slowly died.  Took about 15 minutes of lying there to recuperate.  I should have been fine.

It's quite an enlightening experience to be placed in the wrong heat.  The fans don't see times and heats... They just see the sad little Westminster NAIA kid 200 meters behind everyone else with a race number stuck to his foot.  I did hear some cheering on my last 200 and that felt good but it was definitely a pity cheer.  Let's just say I will never forget the day I ran the mile with the BYU mutant robots.  I was frustrated at first but then I realized I had PR'd and I was able to joke about it after with my fans.  I think it will be an ongoing joke of mine for the rest of my life.  What a memorable day.  :) 

Track season ended with my lovely race on Saturday.  You should look at that race report.  It is quite entertaining.  Anyways... Bec and I running a half-marathon on Saturday so I figured I would get my legs used to going faster for longer than 3 miles.  I ran down to Liberty and did a 6 mile tempo.  Had an AP of 6:09 and felt pretty good.  Helps to know that I can still do the long distances and that I still have some speed.  I think the half will go well  It's my first one so I've gone nothing to lose :)

Ran on the treadmill this morning because of the lame snow/hail coming down.  Feeling some pain right in front of my ankle.  I I will probably take tomorrow off just to be safe.

Took the day completely off.  Some pain in the ankle is freaking me out.

Still didn't run... 40 mins on the elliptical.  Let's hope my run tomorrow will be good.

Yay!  No pain!  Felt really good for all 6 miles and I am super excited about the race tomorrow with BB!  This will be my first half-marathon.  I am not going to race it all crazy like because I am not really prepared for that, but it will be fun.  Ended up getting the same type of shoe as last time and I think that helped a lot.  If it's not broke don't fix it.

My first half marathon!!!  Woop!  I was happy that i was able to run it with the girly friend.  The morning went well.  It was pretty cold though.  We hopped in the bus and drove up to the starting line.  When we got up there we were waiting for about 20 minutes to use the bathroom.  It was great when they said they were about to start the race and we still hadn't gone.  Becca ran in before me and went in world record time.  I think she was in there for shorter time than all the guys.  I went in and went as fast as humanly possible.  I only was able to go numero 1 though.  As I came out I saw that there was no one there and they were already running.

BB was sweet and was waiting for me at the starting line.  I was thinking, "AHH they are going!" and started running by her quite rude-like and almost didn't give her a hug.  Luckily I stopped and did :)  At this point we were starting about a minute behind everyone else but it didn't really matter.  

I had my Westminster jersey on and it was still quite cold but I was ok.  I looked ahead and saw the the person in the lead was a lady.  She was a good distance ahead.  I figured I would just chill and see what happened.  I looked at my watch and saw I was an AP of 6:28 which was extremely comfortable so I just stayed there.  The upside to start a minute after everyone else was that you got to pass a bunch of people on your way up to the front.  At about mile 3 I was in 10th place I think.  Then we got to the mother beast hill.  This thing was like straight up for a half a mile or more.  My pace dropped to about 8 mins but I passed the last two people before the leader on it.

Once we got over the top, we understood why they called it the Hurricane Half Marathon.  We got hit with a billion MPH of wind.  The leader actually blown away and I never saw her again... Okay that's not true but I wouldn't have been surprised.  We started downhill and I caught up to the leader.  We were at about mile 6. She was quite beastly beating all the men.  I said, "Windy."  She said, "Yeah, it sucks!"  That was the extent of our conversation.  There were a couple of turns and the mile markers were getting worse and worse.  They were about a tenth of a mile off.  My watch would beep and I would hit the mile marker about 40 seconds after.  

At close to mile 10 I looked back and saw that she was about 70 meters behind me still.  I just relaxed and kept going.  I wish I had gone to the bathroom.  At about mile 6, 9, and 11 I felt a huge urge to go.  Luckily I was able to hold it back (probably not the best).  I took my gel at mile 7 and grabbed my only sip of water at the aid station.  I wasn't thirsty during the race.  Once we got into Hurricane my pace decreased to about 6:10.   I felt really good actually.  I just opened up my stride.  At mile 12 I was like... Yes!  Came around the corner and saw some cones.  I didn't think that would be the finish because it was too close.  I curved at the cones into the finish line at about 13.01 miles.  They had a cool finish tape for me to cross through too.  It was a super fun race!

BB came through about 15 minutes after first in her age group :) :)  I got some gift certificates but I found out that I can only use 2 of them in Hurricane... Great.  Oh well, I enjoyed it thoroughly. The course was pretty tough with the hill and the wind.  There wasn't too much downhill except for after the big one.  You can probably subtract a good 5-10 minutes from your time on this one for another half.  

My watch showed 13.03 miles at 1:24:50 with an AP of 6:30.  

My splits: 6:28, 6:28, 6:36, 6:24, 6:42, 7:24 (Beast hill), 6:28, 6:24, 6:38, 6:30, 6:18, 6:10, 6:05

I felt really good about how I raced this.  I was unsure as to how I would do so Just went out conservatively.  Then I was able to up my pace in the last 3 miles and finish strong :)